The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-23
CONCEALED UNlyERsALIsM.
By REV. JAxb GoRToN.
Cedar FallA Towa.)


Cedar Fall4 Towa.)
How much concealed Universalism Is
there among orthodox minister's The
question was suggested by reading the
article on Rev. Georse G. Haddock, in
recent number of The UNIvERsALIsT.
Probably no one can5answer the above
question. No one can know; but doubt
less many liberal ministers have had
experience which, if putin print, would
add greatly to our knowledge on this
subject. We will give one or two in
stances. ~
Rev. DIR. Jewett, one Of the prosecu-
tors of DIR. Thomas was DIR. Thomas's
predecessor at Aurora, Ill. was
preaching at the Universalist church at
the time that DIR. Jewett was preach
ing for the Methodists. In the course of
one summer while was there, DR.. jew
ett and 1 went onsa long excursion to
Nebraska. taking a Pullman palace car.
We had not gone long ON the journey
before DIR. Jewett started a religious
conversation, entirely unsolicited on my
part, in which he volunteered substan-
TALLY this declaration:
''I believe there are vast multitudes,
variously situated, who never have a
fair chance to gain any saving knowl-
edge of God and Christ in this world,
and I believe that In order that God
may viDdicate his own justice, they
must have and will have a fair chance
in another world" DR.. Thomas once
asked me if 1 would be willing to at
tend his trial as a witness and testify
to this fact. 1 told him that would;
but that such testimony would not be
received, as DR.. Jewett was not on trial.
/ have never had any doubt that jeal-
ousy was quite as large an element as
heresy in DIR. Thomas's prosecution !;
and to my certain knowledge one Of the
prosecutors was as great hereto as
the prosecuted, the only difference be-
ing that the heresy was open in one
case and concealed in the other. Is not
that difference of honesty, and 80 a
difference in favor of DIR. Thomas
I think it was in the spring of 'S1,
/ spent several weeks in Urbana, Ill.
The Methodist minister preaching there
at that time,-I think his name was
Miller,-I should say vas an English
man. man ef decid Ahilitys popular,
and of a very excellent spirit. He was
evidently disturbing some of the old
Methodist heads by his liberality. l
think he was inclined decidedly to take
the moral view of the atonement. l
learned afterward that charges were
preferred against him; he was put on
trial and acquitted. I never heard him
preach, but [ met him in the printing
Office one day and substantially the fol-
lowing conversation took place intro
duced by hina:: ''Br. Gorton, do you be-
lieve that all the vicious and sinful, all
the lowest sc0undrels and villains in
this world, every one of them without
an exception, will finally be saved P'
To this I answered, Eyes, most GER
tainly have no doubt that when God
gets through with them-when he has
accomplished his work and purpose
with them, they will every one of them
be completely saved and redeemed from
all SIM" To this he simply replied /:
"Well, don't believe have any doubt
of that result either, any more than
you have" For oaught / know this
brother is still living and preaching in
the Methodist church.
Now, viii not make any charge;
but 1 will ask the question Is not the
orthodox pulpit largely honeycOmbed
with this sort of eoncealment =? 1 could
give many other facts besides those /
have given, that have come under my
own observation. Is this sort of con-
cealnent intellectually and morally
honest Would there not be a vast
deal more of Universalisn preached in
orthodox pulpits if men told publicly
what they actually believe and often
privately declare? Is it not an incon-
testable evidence that naen ane aband-
oning the old dogmas OF Orthodoxy
have no real faith in them-lthe fact
that the pulpit is substantially dumb
on these questions ? Another question
might be asked: How is the preacher
to preach consistently and effeetually
against the widespread corruption, dis
honesty, txiekery and villainy of our
time, if his own course in the pulpit is
one OF studied concealment and intel
lectual dishonesty?
Should not the honesty of the Christ
ian pulpit ON all these questions be
transparent, without the shadow of
concealment Should not the pulpit
be honest with itself and honest with
the people ? Should not the pulpit tell
just what it believes with deepest sim
cerity and with holy boldness ? Is not
the lack of this just what ails the mod
ern pulpit Shall we not have mighty
revolution and a mighty advance in the
olOgy whenever the preachers make up
their minds to tell the people publicly
what they believe We do not ask
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